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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27534388">Where The Boys Are</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolverine6Claws/pseuds/ltcoljsheppard'>ltcoljsheppard (Wolverine6Claws)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stargate Atlantis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Other</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-08 07:07:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,904</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27534388</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolverine6Claws/pseuds/ltcoljsheppard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Where the boys are.... anything can happen. Nothing specific, just glimpses of spare moments with the boys through a normal day. No plot, just little peeks into their friendship.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Where The Boys Are</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt;</p><p>(In the Lab) </p><p>"Oh yes, very nice," Rodney chuffed from the tight space between the console and the wall.  "Great, so someone thought it'd be advantageous to bring living holdovers from the Pegasus Galaxy's version of Jurassic Park back to the city." he seemed to be talking to himself when John walked into the room, but he was speaking to Sam over the radio as he checked his system for any damage or chewed wires and whatever other deposits the tiny Pegasaur might have left him as a gift. Yes, Pegasaurus is what Sheppard had named them.</p><p>"Wonderful. Sam," he said with a nod as he inspected bundles of wires and connections behind one of his many computer islands. "I'll check in later when I find where the thing went," Rodney said as he switched his communicator off and continued his search behind the consoles in his lab. He heard the door open, and noticed that he didn't hear the skittering. "Huh. Wonder why they aren't trying to get out of here," Rodney said, barely audible.</p><p>~ * ~</p><p>Colonel Sheppard strolled down the corridors with long, open strides and a bright expression on his face. He tossed a smile to people as he passed them by, heading to McKay's lab. He hadn't seen the science geek in a couple of days and his life was starting to feel a bit out of balance. He'd spent a day lounging around and being a bit lazy with Ronon on his rare day off and even opted to actually show up for a stick fighting match with Teyla. She was surprised to see him actually show up and made a snide comment about his unexpected appearance which had earned her a dry yet sardonic look in reply from her commander.</p><p>Turning the corner, John seemed to bounce on the balls of his feet... either that or the man had springs imbedded in his legs but he always seemed to walk about the city as if his feet didn't actually touch the floor. He walked into McKay's lab and looked around as he slowly came to a stop near the center of the room, wondering where Meredith was. His brow furrowed slightly and then he heard a noise.. a scratchy, alien sound coming from behind a wall of computers.</p><p>Sheppard made his way over to the computer bank and peered behind it... what he saw made him quirk a grin. "Lose your marbles, Rodney?" he teased, watching McKay searching for something between the system and the wall. Taking an apple from his thigh pocket he bit off a large piece with a loud juicy snap, grinning playfully as he waited for McKay's response.</p><p>Rodney immediately recognized the voice of Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard and simply waved the man away. "I'm kinda busy right now Sheppard, so this isn't the best time," Rodney said as Sheppard took a bite out of an apple. Glancing up from where he knelt on the floor, he wrinkled his face with a thought and asked, "Don't you have people to shoot or... golf balls to smack into oblivion... or something? Anything that'll make you go away?"</p><p>John smiled at the rude wave off, and sat down on the desk stool peering over the edge of the console to watch McKay.  He actually looked as happy as a puppy who just got petted. For whatever strange reason, John seemed to consider McKay's insolence and contemptuous manner toward him as a level of affection in their friendship. It was simply Rodney's way... his often scornful disregard of Sheppard's rank, position and even the man's friendship was simply McKay's manner of self-preservation.</p><p>Although their situations and backgrounds were different in details, they both seemed to share an understanding of what it was like being an outcast. Neither man ever really talked about their family situation or life before Pegasus, unless it was Rodney rattling off all his major achievements as a scientific genius... but for John, sometimes, being insulted and treated with indifference and blatant disregard of his feelings was like a tight embrace. And since neither of them were very touchy-feely with those they care about, it was really the best thing going between them. Of course, there were those times when Sheppard just wasn't in the mood and needed straight answers now and McKay would get started on his snarky rants and just piss him right off. But--!</p><p>They did have their moments... when sincere feelings of friendship and other emotions threatened to surface, but they'd managed to always smack them back down before they got loose.</p><p>Still......</p><p>John snapped off another piece of his apple, chewing it loudly and having to wipe juice from his chin and said around the apple chunk stuck in his cheek. "And when exactly would be the best time for you to lose your marbles?" John finally asked, cocking his head to the side and doing his best to look boyishly playful.</p><p> </p><p>___________________________________________________________________________</p><p>(Between Briefing and Mission...)</p><p> </p><p>As John left the Briefing with his two teammates in tow, a thought occurred to him and he stopped abruptly in order to turn around and go back. Ronon plowed into him without warning that Sheppard was about to stop and both he and John tangled together a bit and nearly crashed to the floor. Teyla gasped in alarm as she watched the two stumble and nearly take each other out, but Ronon was on top of it and had grasped John's arm, did a half-skipping hop to clear his feet from Sheppard's legs and maintained his balance while keeping his friend from getting drilled into the floor. He set John back on his feet, gripping his arm hard and Sheppard winced with a hiss, raising his arm slowly trying to get the Satedan to let go, then jerked away when he didn't. </p><p>"Owwww!!!!!"</p><p>The three warriors stopped and stilled in surprise and glanced to each other. There were other techs and support crew members in the corridor with them and they'd all stopped as well in shock and alarm at the sudden commotion. Realizing a fight hadn't broken out and it was just a mishap that seemed to be becoming a usual occurrence with those two.</p><p>And as John blinked up at the giant aboriginal with a frown for nearly freight-training him again, Ronon glared down at Sheppard for stopping dead in his tracks - again! - without warning him. </p><p>Teyla simply looked from one to the other in concern and to ascertain that neither had been injured. They seemed fine, aside from the worry for one another - again - and the Athosian fought back a grin, because neither man would admit that he was more upset for the other's safety and immediately raised the walls of indignation toward the other's actions.</p><p>"Colonel Sheppard? Are you all right?" Teyla asked, trying to keep only concern in her tone, but he could hear the hint of a chuckle in the question and he threw her a quick glance but refused to look at her in embarrassment.</p><p>"I'm fine!" he told her, then tugged at his crumpled vest hard to straighten it and glared at Ronon. "Run people over much??" he snarled and Ronon set his jaw and crossed his huge arms over a broad chest and answered quietly, if not sarcastically.</p><p>"Just you."</p><p>"Well... why do you always walk behind me?" Sheppard demanded to know. He knew why though and normally appreciated his friend's loyalty and need to protect him and watch his back all the time. It was really the only true time in his life that John had ever felt that he belonged somewhere. Ronon was his friend and Ronon Dex took it upon himself to be Sheppard's guardian and John regretted asking the question as if he didn't appreciate the gesture on any normal, or not-so-normal, day. But Ronon was a guy too and had enough testosterone to choke a horse so the rash sounding question put the Satedan on the defensive immediately in order to save face.</p><p>"Right now, I wonder that myself! Why do you think I always walk behind you?? Stupid." he said and John straightened a bit and blinked.</p><p>"Did you just call me stupid?" he asked, but the anger had left his tone and he seemed genuinely curious about Dex calling him stupid.</p><p>The Satedan didn't move or react except to growl back at him, "No, I called the question stupid."</p><p>"What question?"</p><p>"Why do I always walk behind you?"</p><p>"That's what I want to know, that's why I asked." John said and Teyla smiled as the two began their own version of "who's on first".</p><p>"No, I know that," Ronon rumbled quietly still staring down at him through narrowed eyes. "I said it was stupid."</p><p>"Walking behind me is stupid?" John asked.</p><p>Ronon forced out a loud sigh of frustration. "AAAAGHHHH!!!" he roared at the shorter man and Teyla bit back a bout of laughter, watching John's innocently frustrating act torture Ronon's psyche. It was like watching the story of David and Goliath, but the battle was of wit and not stones. "Why'd you stop so fast this time??" Ronon demanded to know and to change the subject.</p><p>"Because I wanted to change direction."</p><p>"No kidding. I figured that. But why?" Ronon asked.</p><p>"Because I just realized that if we're going off world to find these dinosaurs' home, we're going to need an animal expert and our resident one has just been hauled off to the infirmary. Which means we get the next best thing." John smiled.</p><p>"Which is.....?" Ronon asked.</p><p>"Daniel!" John replied, nearly shouting the name as he slapped the Wookie on the arm and headed back to the Mess Hall, where he was sure he saw Jackson heading. "You go get things started in the armory," he ordered Dex and then turned to Teyla. "Teyla... check on your son and get him and his nanny to the infirmary. I'll make sure Sam's order for a Marine escort to stand guard there has been acknowledged then meet us in the Donning Room. I'll go find Daniel."</p><p>With that his two friends went one way and John went back the way he'd come, rolling his shoulder and swinging his left arm around like a propeller to be sure the tweak he felt in it from Ronon yanking on it wasn't anything serious. One of these days, he figured, Chewie was gonna pull his arm out of the socket - John grinned with that thought as the line from his favorite movie ran through his head.</p><p>~ * ~</p><p>John popped into the Mess area, scanning all the tables inside the room. Not seeing Daniel he took a chance that the man was smart enough to take advantage of the outdoor terrace that had been set up so the Lanteans could enjoy the scenic view of Lantea II's vast ocean and the wonderous twin moons that hung over the city at night.</p><p>He was right and smiled when he saw the man sitting at a table, blocked from the breeze by a large partition built into the city structure and going over notes - wow, how unusual, he grinned and bounced his way over.</p><p>"Hey, Danny!" John greeted as he popped up alongside the table. "Hope you're ready for a mission, because you're going off world with us. So move your butt..." Sheppard said as he floated away again and called out behind him with a huge smile, "We leave in one hour!"</p><p>As he strode quickly through the corridors toward the armory, Sheppard smiled hugely with the image of Dr. Jackson sitting at the table, looking over his shoulder at the door, wondering "who was that masked man?" And not moving as his genius brain tried to unravel what just happened. John chuckled to himself as he popped into a transporter to catch up to the others.</p><p>_________________________________________________________________________</p><p>(Morning Meal)</p><p>Ronon Dex came down the corridor, heading for the Mess Hall and just wondering what plans there were for today. He was meeting Sheppard for breakfast and had left his team leader half an hour ago to do some warm-up sparring in the gym. He figured Sheppard was probably about done with his morning meal so he'd be eating pretty much alone this morning. That was fine with him too, he didn't mind eating alone but most likely Sheppard would just hang around to bother him while he ate.</p><p>Ronon grinned at that thought and then came around the corner and stopped dead. He tilted his head to the side and sighed heavily, seeing Sheppard outside the Mess Hall talking with a young female science tech. She was smiling with her head down and looking up at Sheppard through her eyelashes and John was leaning with one hand on the wall and the other on his hip. Ronon rolled his eyes, he'd swear that if Sheppard had to go one day without flirting with someone he'd keel over and die.</p><p>So Ronon Dex marched forward and John looked up just in time to see the Satedan coming at him fast. He quickly stood up straight and shot off to the young lady that he'd catch her later cuz right now he was needed somewhere else. She looked a bit shocked as Dex steamrolled over the commander and literally pushed/dragged him toward the Mess Hall.</p><p>"Hey, I was just ---" Sheppard tried to explain.</p><p>"I know what you were doing," Ronon stated simply as he continued to drag his team leader to the Mess line and shoved a tray in his stomach. "Let's go," he said and lightly pushed John's shoulder to keep the man focused through the line.</p><p>The two men then loaded their trays and found a table out on the terrace since the day was starting off beautifully. The sunrise had left a purplish blue horizon and John realized they still needed to adjust their clocks to this planet's day cycle. New Lantea was beautiful... except for that giant "probably poisonous" snake-like thing on the mainland. But hey, at least there weren't any clowns and that was always a good thing in Sheppard's book.</p><p>"Ya know... I don't think that was called for," John mentioned casually as he ate his cereal.</p><p>"Yes, it was," Ronon grumbled back. "You don't know when to quit."</p><p>"Who said I had to quit?" Sheppard asked. "We were getting along... I think she likes me."</p><p>"They all like you," Ronon said with a hint of sarcasm.</p><p>"I'm charming."</p><p>"Is that what they call it where you come from?"</p><p>"Ha ha."</p><p>"Teyla likes you too."</p><p>"She does not," John countered.</p><p>"Yes, she does. You don't see it?" Ronon asked.</p><p>"I think that's enough for now," John hinted.</p><p>"I see it."</p><p>"Okaaay," John warned again, not looking up as he moved his food around on his plate.</p><p>"I see it in you too," Ronon just had to go there...</p><p>John looked up with a heated expression and opened his mouth to put an end to this subject when his eyes caught sight of Colonel Carter heading toward their table. He threw Ronon a glance, pleading him to be silent and Dex was good enough to catch the hint.</p><p>"Morning, Colonel..." John greeted her, throwing a glance to Dex in thanks, as she stopped beside the table. With a smile, she asked to join them and they both moved in an attempt to make room for her.</p><p> </p><p>__________________________________________________________________________<br/>(Waiting)</p><p>John just looked at the tall brunette silently for a moment, with a small smile. Then realized he was lingering. Pulling himself together he took a breath and turned to head out wishing her a good day.</p><p>As he made his way up to the top of the center spire where the briefing should be taking place, Sheppard found himself not so much looking forward, but looking back... behind him... where he'd just come from. Next thing he knew he was walking into the command center, looking around he found Colonel Carter and her good friend, Daniel Jackson, having a quiet moment to themselves as the briefing time neared.</p><p>Turning away to give them privacy, John slipped his hands in his pockets, then took them out again to fold them across his chest, feeling a bit awkward. Thankfully not a moment later Ronon Dex seemed to scale the main staircase with his gigantic strides and the large Satedan swung himself around the bannister and headed straight for him, grinning.</p><p>"What?" Sheppard asked suspiciously.</p><p>"Who is she?" Ronon asked.</p><p>"What??" John repeated but this time with a surprised tone. "Who is who?"</p><p>"The girl."</p><p>"What girl?" Sheppard asked, irritated.</p><p>"The one who's holding your brain captive at the moment," Ronon specified, pinging the side of John's head. Sheppard saw it coming and leaned away from the action so Dex merely flipped a few hairs that were out of place anyway.</p><p>"Stop that. And I don't know what you're talking about." The colonel replied with a feigned arrogance, as he returned to a straight position. Ronon simply grinned and slid his large frame onto the bannister to wait for the meeting to begin.</p><p>"Whatever," Ronon said and then couldn't help adding, "I still say you and Teyla should --"</p><p>"Okaaaay, that's enough," Colonel Sheppard scolded with a warning look that put an end to the Satedan's favorite subject.</p><p>"Whatever,"  Ronon rumbled, he stared out at the Stargate wearing a small grin.</p>
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